Processing of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid and Matched Blood for Alveolar Macrophage and CD4⁺ T-cell Immunophenotyping and HIV Reservoir Assessment

We describe a method for processing bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and matched peripheral blood from chronically HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy to assess pulmonary HIV reservoirs. These methods result in the acquisition of highly pure CD4 T cells and alveolar macrophages that may subsequently be used for immunophenotyping and HIV DNA/RNA quantifications by ultrasensitive polymerase chain reaction.